This application claims the priority of 197 45 993.5, filed Oct. 20, 1997, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a vehicle having at least one electroluminescent light band arranged on the shell of the vehicle body.
A vehicle of this type is known from European Patent Document EP 0 611 040 B1. There the electroluminescent light band is provided in the form of a molding, which extends on the vehicle sides between the front and rear wheel areas. The strip-shaped luminous band consists of an electroluminescence-active construction which is encapsulated by a continuous, moisture-impermeable, extruded polymer.
The use of electroluminescent lights in vehicles is also known for ornaments and for the background lighting of instruments. Furthermore, it is known that electroluminescent light surfaces can be produced and used in arbitrary contours. See, for example, German Published Patent Application DE 38 02 317 A1 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,015.
In the vehicle disclosed in German Published Patent Application DE 195 29 884 A1, an electrically activatable luminous foil band extends around in a lower shell area below the outside lights of the vehicle, and is interrupted by the wheel housings.
A vehicle disclosed in German Published Patent Application DE 44 21 942 A1 has an illuminatable field, particularly a stroke of writing or the like, on a vehicle wall part which is provided with corresponding openings therefor. On a covered side of the wall part, a luminous foil is mounted, and a glass-like intermediate part can be provided between the wall part and the luminous foil. Elevations which project into the openings are flush with the surface of a visible side of the wall part. In particular, when the luminous foil is positioned on an entrance side member, it may be provided to automatically switch the luminous foil on and off with the opening and closing of the vehicle door by means of a door switch.
It has also been suggested to use electrically activatable luminous foils for the purpose of the brake light function on vehicles, and to position them for this purpose preferably on the rear side of the vehicle. See Registered Utility Models DE 296 16 583 U1; DE 297 06 600 U1; and DE 297 08 393 U1. Moreover, Registered Utility Model DE 1 679 089 discloses the use of a moving light for the purpose of a turn signal function on a vehicle in order to indicate a left or right turn.
The object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle of the initially mentioned type in which the electroluminescent light band is mounted in a visually and functionally advantageous manner, and/or can be triggered in a manner which advantageously indicates certain vehicle conditions.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the electroluminescent light band arrangement according to the invention, in which an electroluminescent light band extends from a front-side headlight to a rear light. As a result, the head light is advantageously connected with the rear light to form a total visual unit, and the shape of the light band, particularly in darkness, emphasizes the contour of the vehicle and its representative character. In addition, the light band also extends into the area of the lens of the headlight and/or the rear light which is not penetrated by radiation, further promoting the visual connection of the headlight and the rear light.
In another embodiment, the electroluminescent light band is switched on or switched off depending on the condition of an outside light of the vehicle, a central locking system or of an anti-theft system. In this manner, by correspondingly activating the light band, additional information can be provided concerning the locking of the vehicle, or the readiness state of an anti-theft warning system. Also, the activated light band can respond to the triggering of an unlocking signal of a remote central locking operation, to help find the vehicle, for example in a parking garage.
In still another embodiment, the electroluminescent light band is triggered in a special manner during a driving maneuver, for example, when driving into a parking space or out of it. Specifically it is operated as a moving light whose movement direction corresponds to the forward or backward driving direction of the vehicle. For this purpose, the light band is appropriately constructed of separate triggerable individual segments.
Finally, in a further embodiment of the invention, the electroluminescent light band is arranged specifically in an indentation of the body shell such that, on the exterior side, it extends essentially flush with the adjoining vehicle body area. This results in a smoothly extending and therefore visually appealing appearance of the vehicle body shell also in the area provided with the light band, compared to light bands which are simply additionally mounted on the vehicle body shell, for example, in the form of moldings.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.